Eliminated MSP premiums

We’ve cut MSP premiums in half for 2019, and we’re eliminating them entirely starting January 1, 2020 — putting up to $1,800 a year back in the pockets of BC families.

In 2015, the BC Liberals doubled the MSP fees hard-working British Columbians pay, costing most families an extra $900 a year. Meanwhile, millionaires and those earning more than $150,000 a year received major tax breaks.

John Horgan's BC NDP government cut MSP premiums in half for 2019, and we’re eliminating them entirely starting January 1, 2020 — putting up to $1,800 a year back in the pockets of BC families.

Here’s what one BC NDP supporter said about how this is changing their life for the better:

“Living in an expensive city like Vancouver is challenging enough without worrying about whether or not I can afford my MSP premiums every month. I’m so grateful to the BC NDP for the work they do to make life more affordable for regular people .” - Happy in Vancouver

Implementing a 30-point plan to tackle the housing crisis

We’ve made the biggest investment in housing affordability in BC history – more than $7 billion over 10 years – so that all British Columbians can find an affordable place to live.

After years of skyrocketing house prices and near-zero rental vacancy rates, John Horgan's BC NDP government is working hard to make life in BC more affordable, by:

• Building 114,000 affordable rental, non-profit and co-op housing units through partnerships over 10 years.
• Funding 4,900 units of new affordable rental housing for seniors, families, and low and middle income earners.
• Building more 2,000 modular homes with 24/7 support services in 22 communities across BC in two years.
• Funding 280 units of transition housing to help women and children fleeing violence – the first major investment in transition housing in more than 20 years.
• Making an historic investment in housing for Indigenous peoples.
• Helping fund new student housing at Thompson River University, the College of New Caledonia and the University of Victoria.

Created the BC Child Opportunity Benefit

It's an historic investment putting more than $400 million a year back in the pockets of middle-class families.

John Horgan and the BC NDP are committed to making sure that every child in BC has the opportunity to thrive.

The BC Child Opportunity Benefit offers support to families for every child they have up to the age of 18. For the first child, the benefit is as high as $1,600/year, increasing up to $2,600 for families with two children, and up to $3,400 for those with three children.

In total the BC Child opportunity Benefit puts more than $400 million a year back into the pockets of hardworking families.

Took action to stabilize BC’s overheated real estate market

Our speculation and vacancy tax helps turn empty homes into available housing for people — while raising revenue to support affordable housing.

John Horgan and the BC NDP know that fixing the housing crisis is essential for affordability and our economy. That’s why we’re taking action, including:

• Introducing the speculation and vacancy tax to target foreign and domestic speculators who own homes in BC but do not pay tax here.
• Increasing the foreign buyers tax to 20% and expanding it to other urban areas.
• Cracking down on tax fraud and closing real estate loopholes to make sure people are paying their fair share of taxes. This includes the creation of Canada’s first ever pre-sale condo registry to crack down on flipping.
• Taking action to end hidden ownership.
• Creating an expert panel on money laundering.

Investing in affordable, accessible child care

We're building a universal child care system that will give BC parents access to affordable, quality child care when they want or need it.

John Horgan and the BC NDP government are bringing affordable, accessible and safe child care to families across the province. So far we have:

• Launched the Fee Reduction Initiative and the Affordable Child Care Benefit, saving families up to nearly $20,000 per year per child.
• Converted over 2,500 licensed child care spaces across the province into prototype universal child care sites, limiting costs for families to $200 per month per child.
• Investing in Early Childhood Educators.
• Creating new, licensed child care spaces in communities across B.C. through the Child Care BC New Spaces Fund.

Cancelled interest on BC student loans

Effective February 19, 2019, we’ve eliminated interest on all current, future and outstanding BC student loans.

Going to school to get the skills you need shouldn’t be a lifelong debt sentence. After years of the BC Liberals making it harder to get education and skills training, John Horgan's BC NDP is making sure students have help getting the education they need to succeed.

That’s why, effective February 19, 2019, we eliminated interest on all current, future and outstanding BC student loans.

Because of this decision, students and young families with loans will save an average of $2,300 in interest charges over a 10-year repayment period and — instead of worrying about growing debt — can put their energy into their next steps in life.

Reducing poverty in BC

We’ve introduced BC’s first poverty reduction strategy to reduce overall poverty by 25%.

Under the BC Liberal government, British Columbia had the highest rate of child poverty in the country. Instead of supporting BC NDP efforts to reduce poverty, they eliminated programs helping low income people — including one that gave people living with disabilities a BC bus pass.

John Horgan and the BC NDP are taking action. So far we have:

• Launched TogetherBC, British Columbia’s first poverty reduction strategy, which sets a path to reduce overall poverty in B.C. by 25% and child poverty by 50% by 2024.
• Increased income and disability assistance rates by a total of $150 per month and introduced the Disability Transportation Supplement, which can be used for a BC Bus Pass.
• Increased earnings exemptions for people on income and disability assistance by $200 a month.
• Increased the minimum wage — which will reach $15-an-hour by June 2021.

Froze or reduced rates and fees

We’ve frozen or reduced rates on most BC Ferry routes, and more.

John Horgan and the BC NDP government believe that you shouldn't be paying for BC Liberal choices for the services you need. We’re giving you more money back by:

• Freezing ferry fares on all major BC Ferries routes, reduced fares on smaller routes, and restored the 100% Mon-Thurs seniors discount.
• Protecting people from excessive fees by introducing tougher rules on payday loans and cheque-cashing services.

Eliminated bridge tolls

In August 2017, we eliminated bridge tolls on the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges.

By refusing to fund transit for years, the BC Liberals forced more Lower Mainland commuters into their cars, where they paid more than $1200 for costly tolls every year.

Commuters who live on routes without reliable, accessible transit options should not be punished for driving to work. That’s why in August 2017, John Horgan’s BC NDP government eliminated bridge tolls on the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges.

Making the largest infrastructure investment in BC history

We're investing $20 billion in creating jobs and building new hospitals, bridges, roads and schools all over BC.

After 16 years of neglect by the BC Liberals, we need to restore, replace and repair schools, hospitals, roads and transit.

That's why John Horgan and the BC NDP made the largest infrastructure investment in BC history — funding $20 billion in projects, and creating tens of thousands of jobs. This includes:

• Building a new Pattullo bridge;
• Constructing a new St. Paul’s Hospital in downtown Vancouver;
• Rebuilding the Royal BC Museum in Victoria;
• Seismic retrofits for schools across BC;
• Expanding and repairing highways, including Hwy 1 and the Malahat;
• And much, much more.

We’re also ensuring good-paying jobs, better training and apprenticeships, and more trade opportunities for Indigenous peoples, women and youth in key public-sector infrastructure projects across the province through Community Benefits Agreements.

Fuelling innovation in BC tech

We’re investing millions in BC’s growing tech industry to attract world-class talent, prioritize skills training, and create opportunities for local businesses.

John Horgan and the BC NDP are support growth in the tech sector. So far, we have:

• Funded 75 post-secondary research projects in BC to develop tech expertise and innovation.
• Invested $12 million in graduate degree scholarships for students in STEM; plus $10.5M for co-op opportunities and entrepreneurial training for post-secondary students.
• Created 2,900 new tech training seats at BC public education institutions.
• Appointed BC’s first ever Innovation Commissioner.
• Created a pilot ‘Startup in Residence’ program to bring technology companies together with the BC government to solve digital challenges.
• Strengthened the Cascadia Innovation Corridor and launching the Cascadia Venture Acceleration Network.
• Supported BC’s Digital Technology Supercluster.
• Helped BC tech companies gain greater access to the US market and investors by opening new Trade and Investment Offices in Seattle and San Francisco.

“As part of our tech-expansion, we’re adding 2,900 more tech spaces, launching a graduate student scholarship fund and providing awards for women pursuing a science or tech-based profession. We’re breaking down barriers to good-paying jobs for people in the booming tech sector by making post-secondary education more accessible and affordable.” - Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training

Renewing our forest industry

We’re committed to revitalizing this anchor industry — including using BC wood for major infrastructure projects including the new Royal BC Museum and Vancouver’s new St. Paul’s hospital.

The BC Liberals cost our province 30,000 direct forestry jobs and countless more indirect jobs. They exported raw logs at an unprecedented pace and undermined the future of the industry by failing to keep up with reforestation.

John Horgan and the BC NDP are working hard to bring sustainable jobs back and fight for fair trade deals for our softwood lumber. This includes:

• Keeping our commitment to fight for BC forestry jobs in the US and advance BC’s interests in the ongoing softwood lumber dispute.
• Requiring new public buildings, including the new Royal BC Museum and the new St. Paul’s hospital, to use BC wood products, where possible in their construction.
• Raising the maximum height of wood frame buildings from six to twelve stories, ahead of a new national standard allowing the same.
• Increasing processing of BC logs on the coast and reducing wood waste by redirecting it to BC’s pulp and paper mills, through our Coast Forest Sector Revitalization Initiative.
• Launching a regionally-driven renewal of the province’s Interior forest industry.

Creating safe, responsible mining jobs

We made an historic $20 million investment in an independent oversight body for the mining sector.

British Columbia’s mining sector is an important job creator across our province. John Horgan and the BC NDP are working with communities and the mining industry to create and sustain these vital jobs with an historic $20-million investment to fund a fair, independent oversight body in the mining sector.

Boosting the creative economy

We’ve increased funding for the BC Arts Council and Creative BC and created a new fund to support our music industry.

John Horgan and the BC NDP are helping BC creatives thrive and grow by:

• Establishing AMPLIFY BC, the province’s new music fund aimed at supporting people working in our diverse music industry.
• Supporting our province’s vibrant communities and creative economy by boosting funding for the BC Arts Council and Creative BC.

Investing in tourism and recreation

6.1 million tourists visited BC in 2018. We’re making sure the communities that host them have the support they need.

Whether it’s Aboriginal tourism, adventure tourism, wilderness tourism or bear viewing, BC tourism businesses bring people from around the world to our province. We're championing tourism by:

• Taking action to ensure families across the country can celebrate together by moving Family Day to the third week in February.
• Creating 413 new campsites at BC parks to catch up with current demand.
• Hiring more park rangers and conservation officers.
• Adding 107 hectares to existing BC parks.
• Helping people who live and work in resort municipalities like Tofino, Invermere, Whistler and Osoyoos with new investments to better support our tourism industry.

Safely developing natural gas

We delivered record investment while meeting our four conditions.

John Horgan and the BC NDP government established a new LNG Framework that helped deliver a record $40 billion investment by LNG Canada while meeting our four conditions:

• a fair return for BC’s natural resources,
• guaranteed jobs and training opportunities for British Columbians,
• respect and partnerships with First Nations,
• and protection of BC’s air, land and water, including living up to our climate commitments.

Helping small businesses succeed

We cut the small business tax rate by 20% and we’re opening up opportunities for BC businesses to take advantage of the government’s buying power.

Under the BC Liberals, more than 70 per cent of small business owners said that the high cost of living in BC made it hard to find workers.

John Horgan and the BC NDP are listening to the concerns of small business owners, and working hard to help them succeed by:

• Leading the BC economy to deliver the lowest unemployment rate in Canada and the highest annual wage growth that the province has seen in the past decade.
• Eliminating BC’s operating debt for the first time in 40 years, while delivering some of the strongest economic growth in the country.
• Supporting job creators by cutting the small business tax rate by 20 per cent.
• Restoring the tax benefit and lifted the cap on lending for credit unions.
• Introducing a new, simplified procurement strategy to take advantage of the government's buying power to help grow local economies, create jobs throughout the province, and make good use of made-in-BC innovation.

Recognizing the changing workplace

Updating employment standards regulations, protecting temporary foreign workers and raising the minimum wage.

John Horgan and the BC NDP are ensuring employment laws and standards match the realities of working today. So far we have:

• Implemented a plan for regular, measured and predictable increases to the minimum wage. As of June 2021, BC’s minimum wage will be at least $15.20/hour.
• Eliminated the server wage and gradually increasing the minimum wage for piece-rate farm workers, resident caretakers and live-in camp leaders and live-in support workers.
• Passed legislation to create a Temporary Foreign Worker Registry, and to better protect temporary foreign workers against exploitation and abuse.
• Updated BC’s employment standards regulations and Labour Code.